St. Paul daily globe., 1887-05-27
HYGIENE IN THE SCHOOLS.

Inc laSG legislature was impressed
with the belief that the rising genera
tioH should cultivate an ambition to-
ward physical as well as moral an intel:
lectUal perfection. and accordingly
passed law requiring the public
schools to establish course of inStruc
ton in physiology, hygiene and temper
ance. The law says that these courses
shall be taught with special reference
to the effects of stimulants and narcotics
on the human system. This is one of
the most practical efforts at temperance
reform that state legislature has ever
made. 1t is much easier to educate
the people into temperance than it is to
legiSlate them into it. Whenever the
attempt is made to control the tastes
and appetiteS of people by legal enact
mentS it is the disposition of human
nature to rebel against such an act of
tyranny. No one individual is willing
to recognize the right of another indi-
vidual to dictate what he shall eat or
what he shall drink. Placing man in the
possession OF the knowledge of good and
evil. an intelligent understanding Of
what the effects of right action or
wrong doing respectively would be, is
the utmost the Almighty ever under
took in His plans for reforming the
world. There is no reason why man
should endeavor TO SurpasS the divine re-
tormatory system. The best that NOR
tails can do is TO initiate it. And this
idea of introducing course of instruc-
ton into our public schools designed to
u;.r al, int i,,fn ,afi
concerning the effects of StimulantS and
narcotics upon the human system is the
most rational temperance movement
that has yet been inaugurated. Igno-
rance OF the injurious effects of Stimu-
lantS upon the human system is the
lead ng cause of intemperance. 1t is
because so many people grow up with
out an intelligent idea of the injurious
effects of stimulants that there are so
many drunkards in the world to-
day. 1t is for similar reason
that there is so much sickness,
50 many invalids in the world,
so many people in broken health and
with shattered constitutions. They are
ignorant of the construction of their
own bodies, they know nothing of
anatomy and physiology, possess no
knowledge of hygiene, and are abso-
lutely helpless on account OF their igno-
rance Of these important subjects. They
readily fall victims to disease, because
they are not provided with that knowl-
edge which is necessary to guard against
it. In view of these facts, we are con-
strained to approve the wisdom of the
legislature in requiring these branches
to be taught in the public schools.
In furtherance of the legislative act
on this subject the state superintendent
of public instruction has issued circu-
lar directed to school officers in which
he calls special attention to this law,
and gives an Interpretation of it.
AS will be seen from an abstract
OF the circular, published elsewhere
in our columns. that Prof. KIEHIE makes
it imperative upon teachers to devote
particular attention to this matter.
Whatever else may be neglected or
whatever other studies may be crowded
out there is to be no neglect of this i'm
pOrtant subject. The children are to be
taught respecting the structure of the
human body,in its framework, muscles,
nerves, organs of nutrition and of
sense; they are to be instructed in what
is necessary to the shstenance of the body
and how to take care of the temple in
which their spiritual and intellectual
qualities find dwelling place. If chill
dren are to grow up into healthy men and
women it is necessary that they should
have perfect knowledge of how they
are affected by the elements of the
world around them. There will be a
vast improvement in our educational
system when more atten ton is paid to
the physical culture and development of
the child and the mental strain is cor
respondingly lessened. 1t is gratifying
to observe that the friends of education
in this state are so fully alive to this
subject, and that our school authorities
are to give it their attention.